I woke up to a soft strand of sunlight warming my shoulder. I blinked, shaking my head, attempting to remember where I was and what I had to do next. The first thing that I remembered was the blanket.

I had stolen it.

Not only had I stolen it, but I had stolen it from a young, innocent mother. I stretched, rubbing my head with my hands. Erro gently protested, twitching her right hand and sighing ever so slightly. I smiled. Erro may have been my better in talent and knowledge, but she was adorable.

I gently pulled the blanket off her and gathered it in my arms. The edge of the blanket tickled my nose, and I resisted the persistent urge to sneeze. I gathered the soft sheet up in my arms and tiptoed away from Erro. The street was busier than I was used to, so I bundled up the blanket to look like a baby. It was crudely fashioned, but from the outside made a very convincing child. I slapped a leaf on top for a face, and added mud-drawn eyes and little smile. I gently patted Erro on the shoulder, but she did not respond. Oh well- due to her street credit here, she'd be safe.

I stepped out onto the street an began walking down the road.

The first thing I noticed were the stares. Mothers looked at me with sadness- other girls my age and younger were turned away with words of advice. I blinked. Wasn't it usual for older children to carry younger children?

A young baker approached me, her hand held out. My first reaction was to fight, but when I saw the tenderness in her eyes I stood still.

"Hello there!" She smiled. "My name is Marie!"

"Hi Marie... I'm, uh, Genibelle." I stuttered. If I remembered anything, it was to never use your real name around strangers.

The baker gestured to the blanket. "Younger sister?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "She's kind of nervous, so I try not to let strangers see her."

The girl smiled, reaching out to touch the blankets. Before I could stop her, she rolled over what was supposed to be the face. The mud had run onto the blanket, and the leaf had crumbled, so all that was there was a red-brown stain where the head was.

The girl stared at me, horrified.

"It's not what it looks like!" I laughed, but she was already running.

I sighed. Why did this always happen to me?

-------------------------

After about 5 minutes or so I came to the door of the woman. The door was locked, so I stood on my tiptoes and used the knocker. Nothing happened, so I knocked again.

The door swung open and a very flustered looking mother stood in my way. She was holding her baby in one arm and a frying pan in the other. When she saw me, fluster meant turned to rage, and she started to advance on me.

"Woah woah woah miss! Here's the blanket! Thanks for letting me borrow it!" I held it out as a offering, hoping she would calm down.

She didn't.

I threw the blanket behind her, and turned, trying to race down the road. She followed me, hair messed up, brandishing a frying pan, shouting curses at me into the wind. I ducked behind a corner, thinking I had lost her, and proceeded to run smack dab into a kissing couple. The girl gaped and the boy raised his fists, so I kept on running. I raced through the busy streets until I came to Erro, slapping her shoulder to wake up.

"What...?"

"We need to go." I said, trying to pull her up.

"Blaze... What did you do?" Erro moaned slightly, turning over.

"According to these people, I stole a mother's only blanket, interrupted an impmurdered a baby." Erro swished around, horrified, and I pulled her up.

"Let's go."